Comment by azanar | Hacker News Reader

Comment by azanar | Hacker News Reader

I'm going to ask a question that I fear will have me labelled as naively privileged almost beyond any hope of my eventually redemption.

Are we as individuals hopelessly trapped in a social fabric that leads to the kinds of bad outcomes based on abuse of data that the author describes?

Assuming we can escape, is our only way out of this fabric to shred it from within? What of the benefits that we shred in our zeal? Is it mistaken to even claim their are benefits to be weighed against the drawbacks, because the drawbacks are so bad?

Perhaps it is a naive question. Is there a way we can reduce the bad outcomes by making those that cause them irrelevant, rather than counter-engaging them directly?

> Are we as individuals hopelessly trapped in a social fabric

Yes and no. The trap you speak of is merely a frame designed to bind you. The simplest (yet effective) one is a false dichotomy: you're given a choice between similarly bad options A1 and A9, brushing under the rug options B and C. In a more advanced variety the compromise "A4" is setup first and the false dichotomy A1:A9 is built around it as two herding gate poles. A step up from there is a vicious attack on options B and C and any person who dares to bring them up.

Disposing of frames in your own mind is relatively easy assuming you can talk with a few smart people without fear of reprisal. Just keep an open mind about it - remember your goal is to break out of the frame, not to inflict your version of truth upon the unsuspecting universe (the urge itself, if you have it, needs to be confronted).

As to direct counteraction - that's just one of the frames you're stuck in. You assume that you either counter them, or you acquiesce to them, or hide from them. Did you notice that all three choices make things worse? That's a sure sign you're in a frame. The "cause them irrelevant" part is kind of right, except that it's the consequence, not the method.

Break the frame, you will see a lot more options.

wat?

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